Mutual Hostility Research Articles

Bamboo in a storm: the Russia-Ukraine war and Vietnam’s foreign policy (2022–2024)

This article examines the strategic impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on Vietnam’s foreign policy and Vietnam’s responses to the war. It argues that although the war has triggered diverse, even opposing, responses from Vietnam’s ruling elite, it has not changed the general direction of Vietnam’s foreign policy because it has not directly and fundamentally affected Vietnam’s quest for security, resources, and identity. However, the war posed moral and strategic dilemmas for Hanoi, tore the web of geopolitical partnerships upon which Vietnam relied to secure its place in the world, and threatened to shake Russia’s unique and critical role in Vietnam’s foreign relations. Hanoi responded by reinforcing the current paradigm of its foreign policy, performing a delicate balancing act between the great powers, and deepening ties with the major powerhouses in its surrounding region. By taking ‘one step backward, then two steps forward’ in its relations with the United States, Hanoi succeeded in keeping both Moscow and Washington close to itself despite their mutual hostility. Its loyalty to Moscow helped to keep Russia on its side rather than on Beijing’s side in the South China Sea. In the long term, however, the costs of this ‘bamboo diplomacy’ may outweigh its benefits.

“Today I am a Russian-Moroccan”: Cultural transition among Gen 1.5 immigrant women in Israel's geo-social periphery

The study highlights the unique experiences of socio-cultural transition among young ex-Soviet immigrant women who spent their formative years in Israel's urban periphery among resident Mizrahi Jews. It follows the complex dynamic in Russian-Mizrahi relations moving from mutual hostility and rejection to gradual adoption of Mizrahi habitus, often leading to marriage between Mizrahi men and Russian women. As part of a larger study of the migrant journeys in Israel's geo-social periphery, we interviewed 24 women belonging to Generation 1.5 who immigrated as children or adolescents. Most informants achieved some economic mobility despite their low starting positions, and many of them were married to Mizrahi partners. The interviews illuminate lingering ambivalence in the ongoing cultural encounter between Jewish Israelis of ex-Soviet and Middle-Eastern origin. They show how gendered body praxis around dress, hair, and other visual elements; communicative styles, as well as cooking and domestic habits of many migrant women of Ashkenazi (European) origin were transformed by adopting local Mizrahi features. Most informants spoke of this change as adaptive for their integration in the new milieu, but over time they came to appreciate the positive facets of Mizrahi habitus and family life. Our findings shed light on the evolving boundary-work between hosts and immigrants by means of gendered and embodied cultural transition.

The deterioration of Australia-China relations: what went wrong?

ABSTRACT Sino-Australia relations have experienced a rapid deterioration in the past half-decade. From genial ties centred around trade and exchange, the relationship has descended into mutual hostility, prompting the editor of China’s Global Times to notoriously liken Australia to a blob of gum on the bottom of a shoe. To explain the deteriorating relationship, scholars have proposed numerous ideas, pointing to factors as wide-ranging as ‘Chinese influence’, poor diplomacy efforts, and ontological (in)security touched off by neoliberal governmentality. The current paper examines these ideas in a literature review, then synthesises such ideas to provide its own explanation of why things ‘went wrong’. It also addresses corollary questions such as why Australia adopted a uniquely assertive China policy, and why this occurred specifically around 2017. We argue that the breakdown in relations can be attributed to the rise of nationalist, sovereignty-oriented movements in the West, and the spillover effect this had on Australian leadership; the profound uncertainty attending the election of Trump and his isolationist tendencies; and the shift to a more rigid, authoritarian approach to foreign affairs under Xi. This perspective adds to the literature by identifying failings on both sides while underscoring significant yet underappreciated global trends, such as nationalism.

Fictional faces of female suicide: Qualitative analysis of selected Russian-language texts of the school reader

IntroductionIsaiah Berlin’s (1948) exploration of the self-searching of Russian thinkers includes studies of the writers – Tolstoy and others (now – Russian-language texts of the school reader). These studies refute a widespread misconception about the relations between Russian writers and thinkers: namely, that in Russia literature and radical thought form two distinct traditions related only by mutual hostility. The works of Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Karamzin, Leskov, Ostrovsky, and of minor novelists too, are penetrated with a sense of their own time, of this or that particular social and historical milieu and its ideological content, to an even higher degree than the ‘social’ novels of the west. The personal characteristics of suicide victims, heroines of Russian literature, along with the gender aspects, deserve attention in suicidal behavior (SP) focus.ObjectivesTo study personal characteristics of suicide victims, heroines of fiction.MethodsQualitative analysis of selected Russian-language texts of the school reader.ResultsAt the dawn of literature, we have seen fiery heroines and tremulous victims in the arms of death. Аs psychology approach was developed, and we get acquainted with the tragiс backstory. Psychotypes of suicides are exaggerated and overlapped. «Hysterical»: manipulative, frigid nymphomaniac (e.g., Anna Karenina). «Freedom-loving rebel» (i.e., Katerina reincarnations from A. Ostrovsky) in conditions of excessive regulation. «She-Devil, or Rebel Without a Cause». The obsession with death turns into a criminal and a victim (e.g., «Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk» by N. Leskov, Turgenev’s Susanna or Klara Milich). The image of a vindictively furious («velvet and tiger claws») woman descends to the Victorian view of female self-will. «Mimosa» is a sensitive, dreamy person, unable to resist the hardships of life, dependent (dies with her beloved, objection). In suicide, the strength of weakness is the outcome of a humiliating life (e.g., Karamzin’s «Poor Liza», «A Gentle Creature» by F. Dostoevsky. The meaning of suicides is the following: a call (to compassion, salvation), a «cry for help», atonement for one’s (imaginary) – someone else’s (by proxy) guilt, and release from encumbrance.ConclusionsFiction and life are united by emotionally unstable characters and/or depression as markers of unsatisfactory resilience. The cultural diversity of gender patterns and interpretations of SP challenges the essentialist view that «femininity» and marriage are protective factors. SP patterns illustrate and complement the explanatory concepts of SP. The inner world of suicidal people is fascinating and contributes to the evidence-based optimism in the «patient-centric» crisis care model.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

The gendered politics of Iran-U.S. relations: sanctions, the JCPOA and women’s security

I examine the decades of fraught Iran–U.S. relations through a conceptual feminist IR lens, and I situate the relationship within the broader MENA region beset with rivalries, conflicts and crises. The spotlight is on the 2015 Iran nuclear deal Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the unilateral U.S. withdrawal in 2018, the long sanctions regime imposed on Iran, and the gendered effects on women’s welfare and security. I argue that Iran–U.S. mutual hostility has enhanced tensions in the Middle East, reinforced militarised masculinities and bolstered the patriarchal political forces in Iran – which became the target of the 2022 female-led protests. Building on feminist arguments about the connection between domestic and international affairs, the article elucidates the relationship of sanctions to ‘the continuum of violence’.

The Formation of a Strategic Partnership between China and Thailand: the Role of Belt and Road Initiative

This article attempts to consider the features of formation the strategic partnership between the PRC and Thailand, by tracing bilateral relations from mutual hostility in the 1950s–1960s, establishing official contacts in the 1970s amid the changes in international politics and during the Cambodian crisis, as well as deepening cooperation on a bilateral and multilateral levels in the post-Cold War era. The important role of Thailand in the process of bridge-building between China and ASEAN is noted. The article notes that there is a consensus among the Thai elite on the need to strengthen cooperation with China, which gives Thailand new opportunities for economic growth. China is a major trading partner and key investor for Thailand and provides significant opportunities in realizing Thailand's ambitions to develop advanced technology and infrastructure. An important component of Thai foreign policy is balancing between Great Powers. However, after the 2014 coup d'etat amid deteriorating relations with the United States, Thailand's military elite significantly expanded its strategic partnership with the PRC. This is evidenced by the growing supply of Chinese military equipment and the scale of joint military exercises. Particular importance in strengthening cooperation is the development of the China–Laos–Thailand transport corridor within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, which provides countries with new logistics opportunities. The article notes that in negotiations with China, Thailand follows a policy of economic independence and consistently defends its national interests, which cause delays in the implementation of the project, but China is forced to reckon with this.

Turkish-Israeli Relations: Partnership, Problems, Perspectives

Since the second half of the 20th century the Turkish-Israeli relations have developed in an uneven and unstable manner. Depending on the current situation in the conflict-torn Middle East, these relations tended to normalize, or descended into mutual hostility. During the 21st century, we could observe several rounds of confrontation and cooperation between the two states. Thus, the events of 2010 (the Freedom Flotilla incident) and 2017 (the transfer of the capital of Israel to Jerusalem) finally led to a rupture in relations between the two countries. A new round of stabilization has been marked since March 2022 and is associated with the visit of the President of Israel to Ankara at the invitation of the Turkish President R.T. Erdogan. The authors of the article see this step as the beginning of the process of finding agreements on achieving stability in relations between the countries of the Middle East region. The article attempts to analyze the evolution of the modern Turkish-Israeli cooperation, taking into account the patterns of their development since Türkiye has recognized the state of Israel. Using a comparative historical approach, the authors analyze the political problems of the modern bilateral relations, and consider the impact of such factors as the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Iranian nuclear program, the consequences of the “Arab Spring,” the foreign policy activities of the US Democratic and Republican administrations in the Middle East region, as well as the crisis over the status of Jerusalem. The authors underline that despite the pragmatic character of Türkiye’s foreign policy, any tension caused by the Palestinian issue will have an impact on Turkish-Israeli relations, which in turn might start a new round of conflict between the two sides. The authors have concluded that Turkish-Israeli relations are characterized by instability, which depends largely on the current balance of power in the Middle East region. It is obvious that the normalization of Turkish-Israeli interaction is a positive factor for the intensification of integration processes in the Middle East region as a whole.

Assessment of Managing Juristic Differences among Muslim Scholars in the Contemporary World

The various juristic schools of thought in Islam that exist today is an attestant to the skills enjoyed by the ancient Muslim jurists in managing religious differences. The gradual fading-out of such skills among Muslim scholars is responsible for the mutual hostility that has greeted virtually all juristic discourses in the contemporary world. Against this backdrop, this study assesses the interaction among contemporary Muslim scholars over controversial juristic matters. The study adopts the analytical method of research. It discovers that there is ample example of positive display of ethics of disagreement by some contemporary scholars. It also submits that the lack of such ethics is apparent mostly in the modern Salafi school of thought. The study recommends periodic organization of workshops for Muslim preachers and scholars on the ethics of juristic disagreement.

Art diplomacy: Drawing China-Indonesia relations in the early Cold War, 1949–1956

AbstractThe mid-1950s saw the relationship between China and Indonesia evolve from one of mutual hostility to one of fraternity as a trend of détente emerged out of the Geneva (1954) and the Bandung (1955) conferences. This article explores why and how the two newly independent nations applied art diplomacy to reduce their ideological differences and facilitate their commercial and political rapprochements for the sake of Asian solidarity. Through contextualizing a series of art activities between the two nations, especially China’s reproduction of President Sukarno’s private collection of paintings and Chairman Mao Zedong’s gifts of Chinese ink paintings to President Sukarno, this article argues that interactions in the name of art exemplify how China shaped its modern profile as an independent and industrialized power. It will also show how China deviated from its diplomacy of ‘Leaning to One Side’, formulated in the late 1940s, towards the ‘Peaceful United Front’ of the mid-1950s. More broadly, art relations between China and Indonesia reflect intensive cultural exchanges between the newly independent, yet ideologically clashing, nations of the Third World in the postwar period and offer a multifaceted history of the Cold War beyond the binary paradigm of the two superpowers of the United States and the Soviet Union.

THE UKRAINE WAR IN THE DAWN OF A NEW GLOBAL MONETARY ORDER

The Ukraine War does not just represent the large-scale reactivation of conventional military conflict in Europe. As a major confrontation between great powers whose span encompasses several overlapping arenas, it also involves another clash in the intensifying strategic competition to determine the future architecture of the global financial and monetary order and maybe even a potential watershed that can trigger its rearrangement. Under these conditions, currencies and monetary assets are being targeted, weaponized as vectors of power projection and also harnessed as asymmetric equalizers in the pursuit of victory. In this regard, in order to offer a clear situational awareness of the background, the present article explains the enduring symbiotic connection between money and power and its importance for the practice of statecraft in the domain of high politics. As a meaningful precedent, the following section contends that the Kremlin’s takeover of Crimea unleashed a clash in which both the so-called “collective West” under American leadership and the Russian Federation relied on monetary instruments for both offensive and defensive purposes. Next, the paper scrutinizes how monetary elements are playing a major role in the deepening mutual hostility between Western powers and Russia as a result of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Whereas the Western coalition has implemented various measures in an attempt to sink the monetary components of Russian national power, the Russians are approaching this challenge through counterintuitive strategies as a force multiplier to strengthen the rouble’s position and also as a catalyst that could trigger a chain reaction which accelerates de-dollarization on a global scale.

Lithuania’s search for its place in Central-Eastern Europe during the conflict with Poland in 1919–1920

Lithuanian historiography leads one to believe that the country’s interwar conflict with neighbouring Poland was the darkest page in the history of the countries that once formed the Commonwealth of the Two Nations. Indeed, the wounds of mutual hostility healed during the bloody tragedies of World War II and the half-century-long occupation of Lithuania by the USSR and the imposition of its communist state model on Poland. After both countries succeeded in getting rid of the invasive communism that had hindered their national development, relations between them began to thaw, reaching the status of “strategic partners”. Russia’s war against Ukraine has become particularly important for the unity of Lithuania and Poland, as well as for other countries in Central-Eastern Europe, as Russia still harbours imperial and aggressive ambitions towards its western neighbours, significantly stepping up its aggression in 2022. This article examines the possibilities for cooperation between Lithuania and Poland at the height of the conflict between the two countries in 1919–1920, which even at the time reflected a common regional identity and could have been the basis for a joint anti-Bolshevik front. Despite the fact that this was not achieved during this period, and the conflict over the ownership of Vilnius complicated relations between the neighbouring countries for a long time, there was still a certain mental perception of belonging to the same space, which helps to explain why in 1939 Lithuania, despite calls from Germany to occupy Poland, did not take advantage of the tragedy of its neighbouring country and did not try to reclaim Vilnius by military force. Lithuania did not let itself be dragged into the war, and half a century after the countries regained independence and the USSR collapsed, the former countries of the Commonwealth of the Two Nations have again strengthened their partnership and are ardent supporters of Ukraine, which is fighting Russian aggression and thereby strengthening the security of CEE.

Incivility in Online Discussion: An Examination of Impolite and Intolerant Comments

Incivility in online political discussion represents one of the most widely debated issues among scholars. Much research focuses on the incivility disseminated by political elites on social media, paying less attention to the user incivility that spreads as a “bottom-up” reaction to politicians’ posts. To fill this gap, the article focuses on user comments on the Facebook pages of parliamentary candidates in the run-up to the Italian general election of 2018. Distinguishing between intolerant and impolite comments, we observed that the extent of the former in user discussions is limited, and linked to highly sensitive issues and radical right-wing populist communities. This would seem to counter the view that all political debate on social media is inherently toxic and harmful to democratic and deliberative processes. Impoliteness, on the contrary, is adopted by users to express mutual hostility and seems particularly based on feelings of partisanship, so that the issues disappear completely from the discussion and forms of participation “against the other” are activated.

Historical bases of Chinese-Kazakh language relations

The article analyzes the historical linguistic relations between the Chinese and Kazakh languages, which have developed in the mists of time. In the field of linguistic research, modern linguistics proves that the study of the language of each nation in combination with its past history, their social environment, interaction with other peoples is the best way to obtain the necessary information from the history of the development of languages. Studying the vocabulary of the Kazakh literary language on the basis of ancient Kazakh words, comparing them with the historically neighboring Chinese language, provides an excellent opportunity to study the past history of the Turkic languages, as well as determine the historical basis of the Dictionary of the Kazakh language. It is known that the relationship of languages ​​depends on mutual hostility, political, economic and cultural relations of neighboring peoples at different stages of historical development. It is well known that words are a linguistic unit that tends to move from one language to another, and from there to a third, and it is natural that Turkic words penetrate into the ancient Chinese language. The article reveals the possibility of gaining the meaning of many words in our language, the disclosure of their unclear meaning, the relationship of the Kazakh people with other peoples in different eras, or the possibility of obtaining detailed information about their past.

MENUJU HARMONI DALAM KERAGAMAN PERSPEKTIF AL-QUR’AN

Diversity or diversity is a gift and provision of Allah SWT. for his people to know each other, understand, install and bind. However, the fact is often the trigger for division by mutual hostility and hatred between one another. This research examines in depth about diversity and unity in the perspective of the Qur'an through the narrations of classical and contemporary mufassir. This study uses a thematic-contextual interpretation method that is descriptive in nature. The results of this study indicate that the diversity of religions or beliefs, culture, language, skin color is part of the sunnatullah that must be addressed wisely. The Spirit of the Qur'an emphasizes that the basic principle that must be used as a guide in dealing with this diversity is to precipitate noble values, including mutual respect (at-tasâmuh), mutual assistance (at-ta'âwun), and mutual improvement (at-tasâmuh) mutual love (at-tarahum). This fact refutes the accusations against the Qur’an which considers it a book of hatred and is full of calls for violence.

An Analysis of Book T'alimul Muta'alim on Education Character and It’s Relationship with Education Character Programs at Indonesia

The article analyzed the values of education character that contained in the book Ta'limul Muta'allim by Al-Zarnuji, especially (1) reveal and identify the exposure of character education in the book Ta'limul Muta'allim, (2) describe the relevance of the values of character education in the book Ta'limul Muta'allim with character education in Indonesia. This type of research was qualitative research. This research uses the method of literature study, library research (library research). The primary data source is the Ta'limul Muta'allim book. Data collection techniques are carried out and processed with documentation in the form of writing, pictures, or monumental works from someone. The results of this study indicate that: (1) the values of character education in the book of Ta'limul Muta'allim include: active in learning, honest, intelligent, increasing knowledge, avoiding mutual hostility, choosing friends, humility, deliberation, loving nature, patient and persevering. (2) The relevance of the value of character education in the book Ta'limul Muta'allim with the value of character education in Indonesia contains the cultivation of values which include religious character, honesty, tolerance, discipline, hard work, creative, independent, democratic, curiosity, spirit of nationalism, love for the homeland, respect for achievements, friendly/communicative, love peace, love to read, care for the environment, care about social, and responsibility
 Keywords: Education Character, Education Character Program, Analysis T'alimul Muta'alim

Исторический опыт народа в эпопее Зейтуна Толгурова «Большая медведица»

In this research area, interest is an epic - scale canvas by the Balkarian prose writer Z. Tolgurova “Big Dipper”. According to all structural and content parameters (large format, panoramic view, aim reflection and comprehension of historical events, the length of the narrative in time and space, during battle scenes, parallel developing storylines, the conjugation of the destinies of the people and the main characters of the work) it is classified as an epic novel. Nationality is singled out as a defining feature. The purpose of the study is to identify the epic features of the novel and reflection degree in it of the historical experience of the people (the process of planting Soviet ideology, the tragic consequences of breaking the old patriarchal world, the denial of the former moral and ethical norms, the difficulties of coexistence of people in society, human adaptation to a spontaneously changing reality. The result of the dramatic events was not the achievement of universal equality or freedom of choice, but alienation and disunity in the ethnic environment, mutual hostility based on class. The reality of the period of the October Revolution is considered by Tolgurov in the evolution's context of individual consciousness. The study of the conceptual layers of the literary text made it possible to trace the transformation of the characters, to deter-mine the spiritual and moral potential of each image, to determine the level of awareness and in-volvement of the characters in the historical process. The author’s evaluation line contributed to the realization of humanistic concepts and ideas. The work gradually reveals the ideological atti-tudes of representatives of different social strata, subjective ways of translating the mental com-ponent of the people (using the example of the ideological antipodes of the Nuh and the Cossack). All these provisions confirm the scale of the writer’s reflection of the specifics of the era, the rel-evance and artistic and aesthetic value of the novel.ts, the length of the narrative in time and space, the presence of battle scenes, parallel developing storylines, the conjugation of the desti-nies of the people and the main characters of the work) it is classified as an epic novel. Nationality is singled out as a defining feature. The purpose of the study is to identify the epic features of the novel and the degree of reflection in it of the historical experience of the people (the process of planting Soviet ideology, the tragic consequences of breaking the old patriarchal world, the denial of the former moral and ethical norms, the difficulties of coexistence of people in society, human adaptation to a spontaneously changing reality. The result of the dramatic events was not the achievement of universal equality or freedom of choice, but alienation and disunity in the ethnic environment, mutual hostility based on class. The reality of the period of the October Revolution is considered by Tolgurov in the context of the evolution of individual consciousness. The study of the conceptual layers of the literary text made it possible to trace the transformation of the characters, to determine the spiritual and moral potential of each image, to determine the level of awareness and the degree of involvement of the characters in the historical process. The author's evaluation line contributed to the realization of humanistic concepts and ideas. The work gradual-ly reveals the ideological attitudes of representatives of different social strata, subjective ways of translating the mental component of the people (using the example of the ideological antipodes of the Nuh and the Cossack). All these provisions confirm the scale of the writer's reflection of the specifics of the era, the relevance and artistic and aesthetic value of the novel.

Celebrating 100 Years of California History

Celebrating 100 Years of <i>California History</i>

“Stay Down”: Moonlight and Negative Affect as an Analytic

“Stay Down”: <i>Moonlight</i> and Negative Affect as an Analytic

The Intersection of Grand Strategies in Turkey-Russia Relations: Reflections of Smart Alignment and Flexible Competition in the International Arena

Evaluating Turkey-Russia relations is a dilemma, as the two countries fluctuate between perceptions of mutual historical hostility and strategic partnership. An alternative perspective is needed to get beyond the impasse of this dilemma. The main purpose of this study is to explain the common aspects of the grand strategies of Turkey and Russia within the framework of the pattern and to evaluate the policies of both countries in Syria, Libya, and the South Caucasus where the interests of both intersect and occasional conflict. We propose that Turkey-Russia relations can best be defined around the concepts of ‘smart alignment’ and ‘flexible competition.’ Their bilateral relations cannot be considered black or white in the abstract, but rather take place in the ‘gray zone.’ Alternative scenarios for the future of bilateral relations are presented in the conclusion.

Tinjauan Yuridis Konsepsi Hak Langgeh dalam Masyarakat Tradisional Hukum Adat Aceh

Recognition of the traditional rights of the community, such as the implementation of traditional and cultural life which differs from one region to another, is the glue of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. One of them is the customs and culture that exist in society in Aceh, namely Langgeh Rights. Langgeh rights are former rights, namely the right of one person is more important than others, to get the opportunity to buy the neighbor's land at the same price. Langgeh rights can be given to the closest person to the seller, namely, relatives of the seller, other members of customary law, or neighbors whose land is directly sold with the land to be sold. Langgeh rights aim to prevent the land from being purchased by foreigners from outside the customary law community. In practice, the settlement of disputes over the rights of langgeh (syuf'ah) in Aceh almost entirely cannot be resolved through the Syari'ah Court, but will be resolved in the gampong customary court, this is because the Acehnese are a society that upholds the Shari'ah who expect peace. They do not expect mutual hostility, so the outcome of the customary justice process is peace.